Objective III of the Draft Program of Action: Education Comments by Diane Richler President, Inclusion International

Draft Program of Action Objective Re: Education To guarantee for persons with disabilities an inclusive education of quality, as well as the technical and professional training to allow their incorporation into productive activity

Specific Measures Re: Education a. To incorporate children and young people with special educational needs into the mainstream educational system. b. To provide inclusive educational institutions with the necessary resources to meet the special educational needs of their students.

Specific Measures Re: Education c. To bring about the eradication of physical barriers that hinder access to all levels of education for students with special needs associated with their disabilities, as a requirement for conducting inclusive educational activities. d. To promote ongoing, specialized training, both on-site and through distance learning arrangements, of teachers at all educational levels to encourage the development of inclusion policies.

Specific Measures Re: Education e. To develop specific curricular adaptations, by type of disability, for an effective response to the special educational needs of students with disabilities. f. To design and execute educational programs using new information and communications technologies to meet the special educational needs associated with disability. g. To ensure the inclusion of curriculum content on disability issues that promotes respect for diversity, equality, and nondiscrimination.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Will be adopted by UN General Assembly December 13, 2006 And will guarantee…

The right of persons with disabilities to education That persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability That persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education and secondary education

In order to help ensure the realization of this right, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to employ teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are qualified in sign language and/or Braille, and to train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education

States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning

Implications of the UN Convention for the Decade of the Americas for People with Disabilities 1. Eliminate legislative or constitutional barriers to children with disabilities being included in the regular education system.

This may mean: i. Introducing a constitutional guarantee of free and compulsory basic education to all children ii. Introducing legislation aimed at ensuring the rights of people with disabilities iii.Ensuring that legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment is adopted and enforced. This will enable children with disabilities to become teachers

2. Ensure that one Ministry is responsible for the education of all children

This may mean: i. Amending legislation so that the Ministry of Education is responsible for all children and that children with a disability are not the responsibility of another Ministry or agency

3. Ensure that one school system is responsible for the education of all children in their region

This may mean: i. Amalgamating budgets and administration of special education and regular education within a geographical area ii. Adopting legislation and policy to promote inclusion of all students in the regular education system

4. Transform existing special education resources – special schools or classes into resources to assist the regular system

This may mean: i. T raining special educators to serve as resources to regular teachers; ii. Transferring students from special programs to regular classes supported by the resource staff iii. Revising testing methods to ensure that accommodation is made for students with disabilities

5. Provide pre-service and in-service training to teachers so that they can respond to diversity in the classroom.

This may mean: i.Training teachers in classroom techniques such as differentiated instruction and cooperative learning

6. Provide training to educational administrators and support staff on how to respond to individual student needs

This may mean: i. i. Providing models of practice that provide support such as “school-based support teams” and other such approaches i. ii. Regular access to new knowledge on school and classroom “best practices”

7. Ensure that conditions that constrain teachers to teach inclusively are addressed.

This may mean: i. Addressing class size ii. Revising and adapting curriculum content iii. Ensuring school buildings and materials are accessible to children with disabilities

8. Invest in inclusive early childhood care and education (ECCE) programmes, which can lay the foundation for lifelong inclusion of children with disabilities in both education and society.

This may mean: i. Including ECCE in key government resource documents such as national budgets, sector plans

Implications for Governments 1. Create a planning process involving regular education system, special education system and representatives of DPOs and family organization 2. Establish clear priorities and timelines 3. Support participation by DPOs and family organizations

Implications for OAS Institutions 1. Support Ministers of Education by developing mechanisms for sharing information about progress and best practice in different countries 2. Develop a mechanism to provide for civil society participation in regional processes

Implications for Organizations of People with Disabilities and Family Organizations 1. Develop capacity in participation in education system 2. Provide support to families on how to collaborate with the education system 3. Collaborate with governments and OAS to share best practice